Aster could only look at the beast about to kill her and felt like the world got slower. But then she hears an unfamiliar voice.
﹝
𝒰𝓈𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓅𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇. ℱ𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝒾𝓉 𝒾𝓃 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉. 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊. 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒.
”﹞
“
They are right, siblings still need me. Lara needs me.”
Aster closed her eyes and held her hands to her chest while thinking of her siblings waiting for her. Then she suddenly glows brightly. Everyone closed their eyes and shield their faces at the sudden bright light caused by the Aster, and when they opened their eyes the two beasts were now burning and stopped moving. This surprises everyone.
“How could you burn them?”
“Is that even fire magic?”
"That's impossible! Fire magic barely works on them.”
Relief washed over Damon, he looked at Aster and smiled. “Aster, you did it-” he was about to walk towards Aster when lost consciousness. She was about to fall but Damon used wind magic to catch her. He ran towards her to properly carry her, even though she couldn't hear him he still whispered to her. “Thank you.”
The other knights gathered around them. “My lord. Let’s quickly leave now. We don’t want other beasts to attack us.”
Damon nodded and got inside of the carriage while carrying Aster. Soon they arrived at the capital and went to the Ironheart’s estate. There, Damon’s father was waiting for him. He saw him carrying someone and wondered who that person was. “Damon, you are finally here. I want to talk with you,” but Damon just went past his father while still carrying Aster. “What happened and who is that girl he’s carrying?”
The knight got close to Damon’s father and told what happened. “We got attacked by two Herasti on the way and that girl, Aster, saved us. Not only that, according to lord Damon she healed him.”
Damon’s father was quiet for a moment while the knight couldn't help but quiver, waiting for his answer. “And who is this girl? Which family did she come from? I believe that I have met all of the families with holy essence. I don’t recognize her.”
“She said she came from another world, my lord. That’s all I know. I don’t know if she was telling the truth so you might want to ask her later.”
“Another world you say. I believe she was telling the truth.”
“Really my lord? How?”
“Because of Lumina. I believe this is a sign from him,” This sends shivers down the knight's spine and Damon’s father can see his discomfort. “Is there something wrong?”
The knight nervously answered while scratching the back of his head. “I might have disrespected her a bit when I met her,” he said with an awkward smile.
Damon’s father looks at him in disappointment. “Next time, be open minded and avoid judging them.”
“Yes my lord.”
Back at Damon, he gently placed Aster in the bed and put the blanket on. Suddenly Damon’s mother walked in. “Damon. I heard what happened. Are you alright? Look at you all ragged!” She then looked at the unconscious Aster. “Who is she?”
“I’ll tell you later. I need to rest first.”
“Okay, but first let me heal you,” his mother raised both of her hands in front of him and healed him. After that they both left the room.
Later, Damon and his family are gathered in their private sitting room. “Damon, what you did is very reckless,” Stevan said while looking disappointed, he is Damon’s older brother.
“Is there something new? Damon is always stubborn," said Xena who seemed to be not surprised, she is Damon’s older sister.
“Don’t be mean to brother Damon!” Lala pouted, she’s Damon’s younger sister. “Brother, when can we meet sister Aster?”
“Once she wakes up. You can speak to her,” Damon smiled and patted Lala’s head.
“Mama, can you heal her so we could talk to her?” Lala looked at her mother with puppy eyes.
“She does not have any injuries. The reason she lost consciousness was because of essence exhaustion. This behavior only exhibits when a low level mage fights a high level enemy,” Era said with a hint of disdain.
Damon tries to defend Aster. “But mother, she’s no low level mage. If she is, she won't even scratch the beasts! She burned TWO of them while my men were having a hard time defeating them!”
Lala was fascinated when she heard it. “Wow. She must be so powerful then!”
Stevan agrees. “He’s right. Herasti are no easy enemies, especially two of them. Not only that, they are corrupted as well.”
“And she heals too. That’s no easy feat to achieve. What do you think father?” Xena looked at their father.
“I believe she has an abundance of essence. But she lacks proper training that’s why she fainted. She has great potential if she trains,” Ruhav agrees as well.
“Then allow me to train her father. It’s such a waste if she doesn't develop her powers well. She can heal right? That’s a good candidate for a wife,” Stevan said jokingly but Damon looked at him in disbelief.
“But she did not come from nobility. Even if she can heal, she is still a commoner,” Era felt a strong condescension towards Aster.
“She can’t be anyone's wife,” Damon said defensively.
“Why not? Want her as your wife?” Stevan said teasingly
“No. Aster just simply wants to return to her own world. After she’s well rested, mother, could you help her get back to her world?”
“Aw, she’s going to leave right away? But I want to play with her first!” Lala was disappointed.
“We can ask her to stay a little longer,” Damon smiled at his younger sister.
“Yay!” Lala jumps in excitement.
“Sure, fine, whatever. As long as you are not in danger anymore,” Era said defeatedly.
Aster finally wakes up. She was bewildered about where she was. The room she was in was luxurious. “Am I finally at Damon’s home? This room looks expensive! Even though we’re wealthy I kept my room simple. I wonder how rich Damon is,” She looked around to admire the room when someone knocked at the door.
“Aster are you awake?” Damon was waiting for her to answer.
“Y-yes! Yes I am!”
“Can I come in?”
“Of course you can!”
Damon enters the room along with Stevan and Lala. Lala runs excitedly toward Aster. “Hello sister! How are you feeling?”
“Aw, I’m fine. Thank you for asking,” Aster patted Lala’s head.
“Are you really going back to your world?” Stevan asked.
“Yes. My younger sister still needs me. And no one is there to take care of her,” she paused for a moment. “Well actually we have maids but you know, my sister still needs me. She only had me and my brother was in a coma.”
“Can’t you just bring your sister here? We can be friends!” Lala was optimistic.
“Sorry, I can't. I have a life of my own there. And I don't think I want my sister to live in a world full of danger. I’m sorry,” Lala was saddened upon hearing it.
Stevan was curious. “How peaceful is your world?”
“Well, there is no truly peaceful world but we don’t have magical beasts roaming around attacking people. We also don’t use magic because we don’t have magic or can use one. Actually in our world no one believes in magic. Maybe some but people there just believe it’s fiction,” this shocked everyone.
“Really? Then how are you using magic?” Stevan is now intrigued.
“I don’t know. I don't even know how I got here.”
The siblings looked at each other. “I believe there must be a reason why you are here.” Damon said seriously.
“What reason?”
“I don’t know yet, that’s why we need to ask our mother,” Damon replied.
“Mother?”
“Yes, our mother is a high priestess and she can help you go back to your world,” Damon looks like he doesn’t want to talk anymore.
“Let’s go then,” Aster got out of the bed. “I’m okay now so let’s go.”
“But Aster, don't you want to stay here for a few days? We can play or train together!” Lala pleads to her. Aster can’t help but remember Lara through her.
Lala keeps pleading with Aster to stay and she sighs. “Sure, I'll stay for a few days,” She smiles at Lala who was holding her hand.
“Yay! Let’s go play!” Lala yanked Aster’s hand. “Let’s go to my room!” Lala happily dragged Aster out of the room.
“Looks like Lala already likes her,” Stevan smiled.
“But what do you think? Doesn’t she look great to be a wife?” Stevan looked at Damon while smiling.
Damon looked dreadfully at Stevan. “Hmm. I didn’t know my brother was a philanderer.”
“Really Damon? I’m serious, you know I don’t play with other people’s feelings and that’s also against our beliefs,” Damon looked dismissive. “I want to know more about her. Are you going to help me?”
“No. She doesn’t even want to stay here. If she does I don’t think she’ll like you,” Damon starts to get irritated.
“You don’t know that. And it seems like someone just wants her for themselves,” Stevan looks around the room playfully trying to get into Damon’s nerves.
“Enough with this talk. I’ll go to father to speak about Aster’s stay,” Damon quickly left the room.
“Nyeh, nyeh, nyeh, nyeh. I’ll speak to father so she can be my wife,” Stevan talks to himself and bobs his head as if enjoying himself.